Pastor's Blog

A while back I posted a piece entitled,   On the Sometimes Touchy Subject of Drinking Wine . I have since happened to run across this witty speech delivered by Rep. Noah S. "Soggy" Sweat on the floor of the Mississippi state legislature in 1952. The speech concerned the prohibition of liquor, which was still the law in Mississippi at the time. Efforts to change the law met with a great deal of controversy. The speech illustrates the point of my previous post. My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it might be. You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. All right, here is how I feel about whiskey:      If when you say whiskey you mean the devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys ...

In several previous posts I have referred to and quoted the work of Joseph Story, an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (1811-1845), a friend of several of the Founding Fathers, and the author of  Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States  (1833), a work that set the benchmark for interpreting the Constitution for the rest of the 19th century.  It is often interesting to consult the views of those who lived at or near the time of the Founding of the country to see how they compare with politicians and pundits plying their trade today. Here is Story’s commentary on the Second Amendment: § 1889.  The next amendment is: “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” § 1890.  The importance of this article will scarcely be doubted by any persons, who have duly reflected upon the subject. The militia is the natural defence [ sic ]...

Wherein (as a Puritan of yore might have put it) the divine goodness in providing man with that which gladdens the heart is displayed and vindicated, and sundry warnings concerning the misuse of God’s good gifts are given, together with a few recommendations for the lawful enjoying of the same One of the things we ought to admire most in God is his habit of taking what man intends for evil and using it instead for good (Gen. 45:5-8; 50:20; Rom. 8:28). On the other hand, one of the things we should most lament in man is his habit of doing just the opposite —taking what God intends for good and using it for evil (Ezek. 16:17-21; Hos. 2:8). Examples abound, but I will limit myself to three. “He satisfies your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17) If anyone wishes to have proof of God’s goodness, let him look no further than his own taste buds. Seriously. God has made us in such a way that we must eat in order to maintain our health and strength. This might have been a...

Joseph Story (1779-1845) was an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court (1811-1845). He is remembered most for his Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States , published in 1833, a work that set the benchmark for interpreting the Constitution for the rest of the 19th century. In his discussion of the First Amendment, he puts the lie to the modern secularist interpretation of the establishment clause. How far any government has a right to interfere in matters touching religion, has been a subject much discussed by writers upon public and political law. The right and the duty of the interference of government, in matters of religion, have been maintained by many distinguished authors, as well those, who were the warmest advocates of free governments, as those, who were attached to governments of a more arbitrary character. Indeed, the right of a society or government to interfere in matters of religion will hardly be contested by any persons, who believe tha...

In light of the debate about the Second Amendment and the gun laws our President would like to see imposed, it might not be inappropriate to remind ourselves of the Founders' views on the subject.  James Madison, in Federalist 46, argued in favor of ratifying the Constitution in spite of the fears of the anti-federalists that the federal government would then have the authority to command a “regular army” and thus the power to deprive the people of their liberty. There were, in Madison’s view, two insurmountable obstacles to this kind of federal tyranny:  (1) the power of the state governments, and (2) a well-armed American populace, two advantages not enjoyed, he observed, by the people in the nations of Europe. Here are his words: Extravagant as the supposition is, let it however be made. Let a regular army, fully equal to the resources of the country, be formed; and let it be entirely at the devotion of the federal government; still it would not be going too far to ...

I have been only vaguely aware of an Atlanta minister by the name of Louie Giglio. What brought him to my attention today was an announcement he made concerning his voluntarywithdrawal from participation in President Obama’s upcoming inauguration on January 21. He had been invited to offer a benediction—an invitation he at first accepted, but has since declined. And why did he decline? Because an organization called ThinkProgress uncovered a veritable scandal. It seems that Giglio, the pastor of Passion City Church, committed a heinous offense.  What grave misdeed did he commit, you ask, to move him to offer this voluntary penance? Nearly twenty years ago he preached a sermon in which he said—oh, the horror of it!—that homosexual acts are sinful. ThinkProgress posted excerpts of the sermon, which they characterized as “disturbing” and “rabidly anti LGBT”.  They were nothing of the sort, of course. The excerpts clearly show Giglio’s concern for people ensnared by this part...

The Word Became Flesh  A Study in John ’ s Prologue, pt. 2 John 1:1-18 December 30, 2012 The Gospel of John is in many respects very different from the other three Gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are often grouped together and called the synoptic  Gospels. The word comes from two Greek words. One of these,  opsis , means to view . The other, syn , means together . The synoptic Gospels, then, view the life and ministry of Christ together, which is to say, they record many of the same events. John, however, written sometime after the other three, chooses to record a number of things the other Gospel writers omit, and to omit a number of things which they record.           I agree with Bishop J. C. Ryle ( 1 ) that the things that are peculiar to John ’ s Gospel are among the most precious possessions of the Church. They are among the most cherished truths of Scripture. None of the other Gospel writers has given us such a full account...